


Reforged

by Merfilly



Series: To Build A Future [19]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bonding, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-14
Updated: 2012-01-14
Packaged: 2017-10-29 13:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/320235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Starscream gets caught up on things he had no time to pay attention to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reforged

Thundercracker and Skywarp had spent as little time as possible in the palace as they could get away with. They had a suite, three rooms surrounding a fourth, as the construction had not taken into account that Thundercracker was unlikely to accept a new trine-mate.

Starscream had already found the quarters and swept in as if they had been designed for him, ahead of his wingmates. His sensors had already scanned them earlier, but he did so again, deactivating the new spy devices he found with dismissive bursts of his weapons, or just smashing them as he found them.

The other two took it all in warily. They knew they _had_ to be here, but they had no idea what to expect from their utterly unpredictable wingmate. Starscream had always been a law to himself, and only shallowly bound to them.

Satisfied that he had as much privacy as he could manage, Starscream came back to where the pair waited in the central room, inspecting the damage he had done to them. Skywarp was in the best shape, even considering the occasional spark and pop as his circuitry protested the blast he had taken. With a nod, Starscream settled on the center stool that gave access to his wings and front equally.

"Sit, Thundercracker," he said, his voice both inviting and a command. "Skywarp can see to our repairs while we talk."

Suspicion was etched in every line, but Thundercracker did obey; he had been defeated, and he knew this mech's temper. Skywarp sullenly acquired the repair kit, coming back and pointedly going to assist his spark-mate first. Starscream, surprisingly, allowed that breach of discipline, making Thundercracker even more tense.

"Talk about?" he questioned slowly, watching as Starscream adjusted or removed plating as he waited his turn for the repairs.

"Fill me in on the survivors of the war. I've observed some, but my attention has been pointedly focused to be certain my return went smoothly," Starscream said, a wicked smile at the corner of his mouth. "Skywarp, don't bother so much with the circuits. There are upgrades in this frame that both of you will need to scan and adapt into yourselves. I will admit that Scion had some good ideas, and Ratchet executed them well."

"Yes, Starscream," Skywarp told him, settling some both for being allowed to help Thundercracker first and for the fact Starscream was… calm. Yes, there was this buzz of energy around him, as always, but the feeling of patient calculation was reassuring. The fight had been the end of the conflict between them (for the moment), the battle necessary by both class expectations and the mentality that had seeped into the entire army over the course of the war. Only strength was respected. He turned his attention to making certain all the torn lines were sealing properly, and then he would work on plating.

"Astrotrain is still the biggest threat," Thundercracker began, focusing on this trine-leader's faceplates, curious and knowing there were new plans afoot, plans that would no doubt lead them into trouble. "Megatron admitted to beating him down on that planet before bringing him back to the _Nemesis_. What he did not say, but I believe from Soundwave's condition, is that Astrotrain was allied with that slagger."

"Mmm. He can be handled." Starscream would just have to get word out to a pair of refugees, certain they were still in existence. With two of his own kind around, Astrotrain would be slightly more distracted, and neither one of the pair in question were trusted very well. It would blunt the ability Astrotrain had to court a power base.

"Among the Seekers themselves, there's mostly discontent over the broods. I know, flat out, how much coding came from you and those of us you selected," Thundercracker said, temper rising slightly. "Except for Scion, none of the broods created so far have developed Seeker frames. I've kept an eye on one from the junior brood who has Seeker tendencies, but no wings, thinking that he might develop into one of our own support class."

"Both broods are largely constructor class, with a group in each one showing a tendency toward gestalt?" Starscream questioned, to confirm what he had picked up. He had scowled at Scion's name, a factor both his wingmates would filter away, for potential use.

"Yes." Thundercracker flicked his wings irritably, earning a growl from Skywarp to be still. "We bore the brunt of the war. We've already lost the entire true Transport class. The Rotor class, as screwy as they are, have been reduced even worse than our own class. While it's amazing both broods had a full mech translation rate, no drones from either one, we've been trying to prove Hook tampered with them to block the Seeker development. Megatron waves us off, saying the developments are in support of rebuilding, and that our class complains enough about doing brute work. We should be grateful that the worker/warrior class is the one repopulating quickest." His tone was angry and full of frustration.

Starscream considered that, then opened himself to the links between himself and the pair he claimed for his own. The seething, roiled anger came through fully, and he felt a deep satisfaction in his soul. "And the aeries, where are they?" As he had predicted, his question brought savage fury from both, confirming what he had suspected.

"We have none! Skywarp and I carved something out so we did not have to remain here, but the Flights are all in that position. No construction for us, just the city and the temple and whatever Hook decides next!" Thundercracker snarled. "We're tired of living in barracks, shut in and closed off from the skies!"

"Then we shall stop." Starscream smiled at his wingmates. "As Air Commander, _I_ choose our path. And Megatron will not balk me. It was so kind of Hook to teach us construction techniques, so that we may build our own enclave," he crooned.

Thundercracker cocked his head quizzically, then saw the glint in Starscream's optics that meant Thundercracker didn't want to know any more. He had never, ever understood the connection between the Protector and Starscream, but had accepted it as stretching back nearly to their creations. If it was back to a functional thing, instead of making Starscream a prickly mass of neurotic circuits, maybe it could be useful. Given the encounters Thundercracker had provoked in his tempers, he really didn't want any details of how Starscream kept the Protector so interested.

"And what about the broods? Hook controls access to the coding replicators, which means the planned for third brood will be contaminated by him too," Thundercracker said instead.

Starscream's optics blazed. "Trust me."

Those two words had been harbingers of both reward and doom in the past, but neither of the pair had much choice in the matter once Starscream put his will to a plan.

`~`~`~`~`

Repairs took more time than the briefing did, but Starscream was not showing his usual impatience. Instead, he was running over the data, placing it into slots to support his long range goals. The creation of new Seekers, or even support class for them, was a priority, once Thundercracker informed him which Flights still existed. He had plans in place for that. The need to build their own space with the access to the sky they craved was also easily handled. During it all, he would have to scout out just what Soundwave's intentions were, plan against them, and also what Hook intended, through that scrap-bit designated Longarm.

Planning on how to undercut his two equals in rank was always a worthwhile pursuit. Once he had those situations under his control, he could devote more time to fathoming Megatron's long range goals, and usurp them as he chose.

However, as Skywarp welded the last plate in place, Starscream had more immediate goals. He needed this pair, after so long an absence. Beating them had proven who he was, and re-secured a place for him in their lives. He wished to solidify that, and ran a digit along one of Skywarp's sensors, making the teleporter shudder in reaction.

"Do you still need repairs, Skywarp?" he asked, his tone as silken as he could make it.

"My self repair has caught most of it," Skywarp said, flaring his fields at his trine leader. "You could have deactivated me."

"But I did not." Starscream rose from the stool, moving around the dark mech. "You are my trine, both of you, and we have no need to remain apart now." As he said it, he stepped close to the broad wings, flaring his fields in a rhythmic pattern to caress and provoke. Skywarp, predictably, whined with hunger, and Starscream looked over a wing crest to Thundercracker. "Is there?"

Thundercracker knew, deep down, that he could never, truly, give Starscream all his trust. To do so was to invite deactivation. But for now, watching as his spark-mate was being seduced so adeptly, he could choose to trust the current situation.

"Not a one," Thundercracker agreed, rising from his stool. When Starscream pulled Skywarp toward the larger room set aside for the trine leader, Thundercracker followed.

They were a trine again, and that meant more in this moment than it had for most of the war.


End file.
